The Xgene
by Lian4
Summary: Power Rangers X-men crossover. Set after X2-xmen united. Jean Grey is gone or is she? Will it take a Ranger from the future to bring her back?warning X2 Spoilers
1. Default Chapter

********Disclaimer, I don't own anything in this story, but it's fun to write about two of my favorite things.X men and Power Rangers.  
  
It had been nearly a year since Jen had come back into his life again. But she had been so different and he knew he still loved her but what he didn't know was if she still loved him. So many nights she would cry out a name in her sleep. He didn't know what it meant.  
  
"Scott!"  
  
"Jen, Jen please wake up." He said shaking her and seeing the tears running down her face.  
  
She snapped awake. "Wes." She said sleepily.  
  
"You were dreaming, are you all right?"  
  
"I'm fine." She reassured him rolling over and cuddling closer to him.  
  
"No, you're not." She thought.  
  
Professor Xavier lifted his head shaking out the dizziness left over from endless hours within the confines of Cerebro. Slowly he lifted the helmet from his head and set it down on the console.  
  
"Jean." He whispered.  
  
The door to the chamber slid open. The Professor maneuvered his way along the narrow walkway. As he turned down the hallway he saw Rogue.  
  
"Rogue, what are you doing down here aren't you supposed to be in class?"  
  
"Logan sent me to find you, it's Scott."  
  
"I'm coming."  
  
"Logan, I'm warning you. Get out of my way." Scott Summers growled.  
  
"Scott, look we all miss Jean." Logan grunted trying to restrain him.  
  
"She's out there! I know it!" He shouted, "Dammit Logan let me through."  
  
"Scott Jean's dead. We all saw it."  
  
"Don't say that, you know as well as I do that there's every chance to believe she's alive." Scott cried falling to his knees.  
  
Logan knelt down next to him. "Scot I know this is hard for you. We all loved her."  
  
"You have no idea what I'm going through." Scott yelled struggling to his feet and storming off.  
  
The Professor saw Scott storm off.  
  
"Logan."  
  
"Don't worry Professor. He'll be all right." Logan panted. "Is it me or did he get stronger?" 


	2. Xgene 2

Scott stood at the window of the room he once shared with Jean. He turned and walked to the large antique bureau Jean had given to him for his birthday. She had seen him admiring it at the antique shop that he loved to visit when he needed to sort things out. He loved the rich smell of the oil that they used to clean and polish the wood. The bureau had come from England and had been very expensive. It was an exquisite piece in perfect condition. It had a small compartment at the top that could hold jewelry and other small very special personal items. The bottom had large cedar drawers for clothing. He loved the heady smell of the cedar when he took his clothes out every morning. He opened the compartment at the top of the dresser and took out a small black box. Inside was a diamond ring. It had taken him months to find just the perfect setting he had finally settled on a heart shaped diamond with smaller diamonds surrounding it. The professor had loaned him the money to buy the ring for Jean. He had tried on many occasions to give the money back to the Professor but he had always refused it.  
  
"Use it for your children." He had said.  
  
As he stared at the beautiful ring the diamonds sparked as the sunlight hit them making rainbows dance around in the box.  
  
"Jean" he said quietly closing the box with tears in his eyes.  
  
"Scott." Professor Xavier said coming into the room.  
  
Scott quickly wiped away his tears. "I-I'm sorry I didn't hear you come in."  
  
"Scott,"  
  
"Tell Logan I'm sorry. I was."  
  
"Scott, there's no need." The professor interrupted. "Logan knows you're in pain."  
  
"I know, But sometimes I just let my grief take over. I can't do that especially in front of the children."  
  
"Maybe not, but they understand your pain. Many of them have lost parents, or siblings. You can't go on like this Scott."  
  
"Professor, I see her in my dreams." Scott said sinking down onto the bed. "Doesn't that mean anything?"  
  
"Scott, it may or may not. But it does mean you're more normal than you believe."  
  
"Professor, before I came to the institute I felt so alone in this world. But then I met you, and Jean. We both know that there's a good possibility that she survived. I can't let myself believe she's gone."  
  
"We all know there's a good chance she didn't."  
  
"She didn't tell you that her abilities were changing. For God's sake she fought an attack off by me before the dam collapsed. She sent me flying and was able to withstand a full attack from my visor. It almost looked like she was glowing during the whole thing."  
  
The Professor raised his hand. "Scott, I knew this day would come. I just didn't realize that it would come so soon."  
  
"Professor, what do you mean?"  
  
"It's true, Jean's powers were growing. I sensed it every day during training. Her mutation was so different from any others. It was astounding. Each of you has a gene that causes you to be special. But, by the time you reach the age of twenty-one that gene grows dormant. But in Jean that was not the case. Jean kept growing and changing even after she reached twenty- one I believe using Cerebro sped up the process. It may have caused her to reach her full potential too soon. She had no control over it."  
  
"Then she could have made it." Scott said hopefully.  
  
The Professor put a hand to his head. "I don't know."  
  
"Professor what is it? Scott said his voice full of concern for the man he thought of as 'father'.  
  
"I-It's nothing just too much time in Cerebro."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes, I think I'll retire to my room to rest. Would you teach my philosophy class this afternoon."  
  
"Philosophy? Me? Wouldn't Ororo be better suited for that?"  
  
"No, I believe you can do it. The notes are on my desk."  
  
"All right Professor." Scott said unsure of his ability to speak about philosophy which had been his worst subject when he was a student.  
  
The professor paused at the door. "Scott."  
  
"Yes Professor."  
  
"When I was in the coma, I heard you. You told me to keep the faith that I would return from wherever I was. Scott, now I want you to keep the faith that Jean will return."  
  
Scott watched him go. "I will professor."  
  
As he traveled the hallway Xavier ran into Logan.  
  
"Professor."  
  
"Things are better Logan. I've asked Scott to teach my Philosophy class this afternoon. I need you to accompany me on a small excursion."  
  
"Where to Professor?"  
  
"A city in California called Silver Hills."  
  
"What are we looking for?" Logan asked curiously.  
  
"I'm not quite sure yet, but I think it may be Jean."  
  
Scott walked away from the open doorway. "And I won't be far behind." He thought looking at the picture of Jean and himself that was sitting on top of the bureau. 


	3. Xgene 3

Jen sat idly in her office at Bio-Lab. She looked at the endless pile of files on her desk wishing that the computers of the twenty-first century would have the same advantages as the ones 1000 years later. But she knew the advances were hundreds of years away from being developed so she decided that a cup of coffee would be the only way she could get through them. As she went to stand up from her desk her hand hit the pile and they scattered all over spilling their contents on the floor.  
  
"Oh no!" She thought grumbling as she knelt by the pile. "I wish this mess would just clean itself up."  
  
All of the sudden the files raised up by themselves and flew onto the desk neatly sorted in a pile. Jen stared at them flabbergasted.  
  
"Jen?" Wes said seeing her kneeling on the floor. "Are you all right?" He continued kneeling down on the floor next to her and putting his arm around her. "Are you hurt?"  
  
"Wes, it's nothing really, I'm fine. I-I'm just not feeling very well is all. I think all these late nights on patrol are catching up to me. I think I'll just go home and rest."  
  
Wes looked at her his brow furrowed with worry.  
  
"I'll l go home too. I'm done for today anyway."  
  
Jen looked at her watch. "Hmmm It's two o'clock. It must pay be to be the boss' son."  
  
"Ha ha very funny. Come on I'll treat you to lunch." He said sarcastically.  
  
"All right," Jen agreed. "Just let me clean up a bit."  
  
Wes nodded. Jen went into the small restroom that adjoined her office. It was more like a suite. Wes had made sure she had one of the best offices in the building and decorated it to suit her tastes. She ran cool water into the white marble sink and splashed it onto her face. As she lifted her hand to brush away a loose strand of hair that had fallen into her faces when she bent down. She looked at her reflection in the mirror; another face appeared a woman with red hair and brown eyes. As Jen stared at her, her mind filled with pictures of people and places she didn't know. She reeled backwards against the wall and let out a bloodcurdling scream. 


	4. x gene 4

Jen awoke in a hospital room. Her head was pounding. The pictures she had seen were still fresh in her memory, but the memories weren't hers. They belonged to someone else. Possibly the woman whose face had burned itself into her mind.  
  
"Hey there beautiful." Wes said squeezing her hand. "You gave us a pretty good scare."  
  
She turned to look at him. "Hi" She whispered hoarsely.  
  
"How are you feeling?"  
  
"Not so good, I just want to go home."  
  
"Not yet," Wes said smiling at her. "The doctors want to keep you for a few days just to do some tests and make sure you're ok."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"I don't know, maybe you can tell me. You went in to get ready for lunch and then a few minutes later you screamed and I found you lying on the floor."  
  
"Wes, I-I don't know." Jen said putting her hand to her head.  
  
"Jen, it's all right. You'll remember its just been a hard day." Wes said pulling the blanket up onto her. "Why don't you rest now?"  
  
"I can't rest Wes, I've been having these dreams."  
  
"Jen I know about the dreams." Wes said quietly.  
  
"I keep seeing these people and places and I don't know who they are or where they are."  
  
"A lot of us dream that way."  
  
"But there's this woman who is in every one of them. Over and over again I see her face. But, this time when I saw her, Wes , I was awake!"  
  
"Did she have red hair and brown eyes?" A strange man asked.  
  
Jen stared at him he wore the same black uniform as the woman wore. But he had a device that covered his eyes.  
  
"Who are you?" Wes said protectively standing and reaching for his sidearm.  
  
"I wouldn't if I were you." He answered menacingly. "My name isn't important. What is more important is what you saw in your dreams."  
  
Jen was afraid. She didn't know who this person was yet he seemed vaguely familiar. She was sure that he was going to hurt Wes.  
  
"Please, I'll tell you anything you want. Just let Wes leave." Jen pleaded.  
  
"I'm not going anywhere Jen and you're not telling him anything." Wes growled.  
  
All of the sudden the strange man raised into the air. At the same time Jen fainted and slumped down in the bed.  
  
"Jen!" Wes cried.  
  
"Scott don't do this." Another woman's voice whispered from Jen's lips.  
  
"Jen." Wes said gently.  
  
As suddenly as Jen had lost consciousness she awoke.  
  
"Wes?" She said confused.  
  
"Jean. Please come back." Scott said in confusion.  
  
"Who is Jean?" Jen said looking at him.  
  
Jen's eyes closed again. The other woman's voice emerged again.  
  
"I cannot remain." It said.  
  
"Jean please, you have to tell me where you are." Scott pleaded.  
  
Jen's eyes opened. "Who is Jean?"  
  
"Her name is Doctor Jean Grey." An older man said coming into the room followed by a younger man with dark hair who Wes thought looked like a professional wrestler.  
  
"And I am Professor Charles Xavier."  
  
"Who was she?" Wes asked sitting down protectively next to Jen. "And how did you get in here?"  
  
"I'm sorry that we are meeting on these terms." The professor said coming to the side of the bed next to Scott who stood there staring at Jen. Xavier could see his body trembling. "Dr. Grey was our friend and Scott's fiancée."  
  
"Who are you?" Jen asked cuddling closer into Wes' arms.  
  
"We are mutants."  
  
"Mutants." Wes hissed reaching for his sidearm.  
  
Jen put her hand onto Wes' and looked at him. "Let's hear what they have to say."  
  
Wes nodded.  
  
"Mutants? I thought they only existed in the future?"  
  
"You're wrong mutants have existed for many years. We keep ourselves hidden. I run a school where people that are special like Scott, Logan, Jean, and even you Jennifer can learn to master your special abilities in the hope that one day we can exist alongside the human race."  
  
"Me?" Jen said surprised. "I was genetically engineered. How does that make me a mutant?"  
  
"Your visions and empathic abilities are just now blossoming. I think that is why Jean is trying to communicate through you. Jean sacrificed her life to save Scott, Logan, myself and many others at the Alkali Lake test facility."  
  
"My father bought that research facility about 5 years ago. He shut it down." Wes said surprised.  
  
Logan stepped forward impulsively, his claws extended slowly. The look on his face was pure fury. Professor Xavier raised his hand stopping him.  
  
"Please Logan, Mr. Collins probably didn't know what was happening there."  
  
"Oh, he knows." Logan growled.  
  
Wes pulled back. "Honestly when my father found out about their experimentation on human subjects, he was disgusted and shut the facility down. To make sure this would never happen again." Wes regarded Logan. "If anything happened to you there I am truly sorry."  
  
Logan just stared at him with hate filled eyes.  
  
"Please excuse Logan, he's had a rough time. He was subjected to painful experiments there." The Professor explained.  
  
"How did you get in here?" Wes asked. "This area has been secured."  
  
"I have certain abilities that allow me to control the people around me." The professor explained.  
  
"Please, I'd like to know more about Jean Grey." Jen said interrupting them.  
  
"She was going to be my wife." Scott said bitterly turning away.  
  
"Jen, I'd like to try something if you will trust me." The professor said moving closer to the bed.  
  
Jen backed away.  
  
"Jen, I promise I will not hurt you." The Professor coaxed.  
  
Jen eyed him suspiciously.  
  
"Jen, what I ask is that you let me touch your hand. It will help me see into your mind and then I will be able to see if Jean's consciousness is within."  
  
"You're not going to do anything to her." Wes said moving between them.  
  
"Wes, I believe him. He won't hurt me. I can feel it." Jen said touching Wes' shoulder.  
  
"Jen, you heard him he can control minds." Wes argued.  
  
"You may touch her shoulders. It will enable me to let you enter her mind as well. She trusts you and your consciousness will help her to remain grounded so Jean will not take over her mind and we will lose Jen forever."  
  
Wes reluctantly put his hands on her shoulders. Professor Xavier took Jen's hands. "Concentrate Jen, let Jean speak through you." He said slowly.  
  
Jen closed her eyes. She slowed her breathing and relaxed. Wes watched her and followed suit. Wes felt dizzy for a moment and then opened his eyes. He was standing atop a mountain that overlooked a dazzling valley. He looked to his right and saw Professor Xavier a few feet ahead of him staring down into the valley. All of the sudden the sky darkened and the scenery changed. A massive wall of water was coming towards him. Wes stumbled backwards and tumbled into the crevasse.  
  
All of the sudden he was awake.  
  
"Easy there son." Logan was saying.  
  
Wes was hyperventilating. "There was this huge wall of water and it was coming towards me and .. Oh no, JEN!" he cried grabbing onto the Professor and Jen trying to break the fatal connection.  
  
"NO!" Scott cried. Grabbing Wes and pulling him away from the Professor and Jen. "You can't break the connection. It's too dangerous."  
  
"Like hell." Wes growled.  
  
Logan grabbed him. "If you break the connection now we could lose all three of them."  
  
Jen began choking, her face turned blue.  
  
"Jen!" Wes cried struggling in Logan's arms.  
  
"Wes it's all right the Professor won't let anything happen to Jen." Scott said moving between Wes and the bed just in case he broke free.  
  
"Scott." An unfamiliar voice came from Jen's lips.  
  
"Jean." Scott whispered. "Jean where are you?"  
  
"I don't know. It's dark and cold. Magneto"  
  
"What about Magneto?" Logan asked.  
  
"Magneto, saved me, he's here." Jean choked.  
  
All of the sudden a terrible pain ripped through Logan's body as his bones felt like they were being ripped through his skin. He cried out in agony.  
  
Professor Xavier opened his eyes startled. He pulled back from Jen his head spinning.  
  
"NO!" He cried.  
  
"Jen." Wes whispered finally freed from Logan's vise like grip. He rushed over to Jen who was unconscious again.  
  
The door to the room slammed open and magneto floated in.  
  
"Eric." Xavier gasped exhausted.  
  
"Come now Charles, do you really think I'd let you find her?"  
  
"If you've done anything to her so help me." Scott threatened.  
  
"You'll do nothing if you can't see. I would close my eyes if I were you." Magneto said waving his hand Scott's visor flew off.  
  
Wes had taken cover behind the bed he was aiming his laser at Magneto when something hit him across the side of his head knocking him unconscious.  
  
Mystique rose from behind him. "You must be more careful Eric, he was about to shoot you." She chided musically.  
  
All of the sudden Jen sat up. Magneto suddenly went flying through the window. Logan struggled to his feet as objects began spinning through the air within the confines of the room. It was as if a giant vortex had opened and they were all caught in its grasp. Jen sat at the center of it. Eric burst into the room.  
  
"Wes!" Eric yelled seeing him unconscious on the floor.  
  
Wes stirred, dazedly he picked his throbbing head up.  
  
"Stay down, don't move!" Eric yelled.  
  
"Jen," Wes said trying to stand but he ducked to the ground again when he was almost blindsided by a chair.  
  
The Professor's wheelchair began to rise into the air. Logan grabbed him and dragged him to the floor.  
  
Eric was trying to find a way to make it to Wes and then for the two of them to get to Jen when one of the Silver Guardians came up behind Eric and seeing Wes on the ground let off a round of fire. The force of the blast knocked Jen from the bed on top of Wes. Everything that had been spinning through the room crashed to the floor.  
  
"Jen!" Wes screamed pulling her into his arms. Tears streamed down his cheeks.  
  
"What the hell were you thinking." Eric fumed grabbing the Guardian by the collar.  
  
"I-I'm sorry sir. It was the only way." The blonde haired man stammered.  
  
"You could have killed her!"  
  
"Professor we need to get her to the Institute we can protect her there." Logan said quietly. He saw Scott's visor and picked it up. "I think this belongs to you." He said handing it to him.  
  
"Thank you." Scott mumbled quickly.  
  
Logan looked at Scott. He looked even more defeated now than when they had lost Jean in the flood. Now that he knew Magneto had Jean he wouldn't stop until he had brought her back home. Logan promised himself he wouldn't let Scott do anything that would kill him or anyone else. When it came to Jean, Scott would rather die than have anything happen to her. He knew that it would be next to impossible for them to find her and get her back. 


	5. X gene 5

Jen stirred, she opened her eyes and looked around at the unfamiliar room. A figure was in the chair at the end of the bed.  
  
"Wes?" She said unsure.  
  
The figure sat up and forward. "I'm sorry," Scott said moving to sit on the side of the bed near her. "We had to sedate you for the trip, for your own safety"  
  
"Where's Wes?"  
  
"He and Eric are downstairs, Logan's using them for sparring partners."  
  
"From what I've seen, is that safe?" Jen asked surprised.  
  
Scott smiled. "The professor made him promise to go easy on them, although our definition of easy and his are hugely different."  
  
Jen sat up her head was still very cloudy. She put a hand to her head to stop the dizziness.  
  
"Easy." Scott said arranging the pillows and helping her to lie back on them. "The sedative must still be in your system. When you were awake things would start flying around it was very dangerous to be around you. Almost like when Jean first."  
  
Scott stopped short trying to control his emotions as a tear slipped out from beneath his glasses.  
  
"I'm sorry she must have meant a lot to you." Jen said sympathetically taking his hand.  
  
"She was very special." Scott murmured.  
  
"It was like she filled an empty part of you. When you're apart your soul screams for her return."  
  
Scott looked at her in amazement.  
  
"She felt the same way about you."  
  
"I-I have to go." Scott said quickly standing and turning towards the door.  
  
"Scott, Please wait." Jean's voice came from Jen.  
  
"Y-you're not JEAN!" Scott cried out retreating to the hallway."  
  
She could hear his footsteps hurrying down the hallway. Jen's body rose off of the bed and crashed to the floor. A few minutes later Jen awoke to the coldness of the floor beneath her. Painfully she staggered to her feet. 


	6. X gene 6

Eric got up after being thrown to the ground by Logan for the hundredth time.  
  
"Hey bub. Don't you ever give up?" Logan said picking up a towel and wiping his forehead.  
  
"Never." Eric answered breathlessly rubbing his bruised ribs.  
  
"Yeah, he's pretty stubborn." Wes agreed smugly. "One of Ransik's robots's blasted him and he still wanted to get up and fight."  
  
"I don't see you stepping up to the challenge." Eric said glaring at him.  
  
"That's because I know I can take you any day."  
  
"Then bring it on." Eric said taking a defensive position and motioning for Wes to attack him."  
  
"Haven't you had your butt kicked enough for today?" Wes said looking at him in disbelief.  
  
"No, I just think that that after I've had my butt kicked, I'd like to kick a little butt myself."  
  
"Well then come on." Eric taunted.  
  
Logan laughed to himself. Wes and Eric reminded him a little of himself and Scott, always stubborn and never willing to give an inch on or off of the battlefield.  
  
Eric threw the first punch. Wes deflected it easily and then fell to the ground as Eric spun around and swept Wes' feet out from under him.  
  
"You're getting slow." Eric teased standing above him and offering him his hand.  
  
"Not as slow as you." Wes said reaching up and flipping Eric over his head.  
  
Eric fell to the floor and Wes burst out laughing. Eric glared at him angrily.  
  
"What are you mad about?" Wes asked surprised "I learned that move from you. Never let your guard down and never let your opponent get the upper hand."  
  
Eric laughed. "Well I guess it's a case of the teacher being taught."  
  
Logan looked out the window as he heard the roar of a motorcycle engine. Eric joined him at the window.  
  
"Isn't that Scott?" Eric asked. "Dammit, he was supposed to be protecting Jen!" Wes said angrily. He took off through the door and ran down the hall nearly knocking Eric over.  
  
Jen felt the wonderful sensation of the warm water against her skin. She leaned back luxuriating in the stillness around her. Baths were something that she missed, in the year 3000 they wanted to conserve water so sonic showers were the only way of getting clean. She lay her head back and let her mind go. Soon her mind began to drift. It was a wonderful sensation of flying high above a great valley. She saw the mountains and trees below her speeding by. Ahead of her she saw the remains of a huge fortress. She turned over so she could see the sky above her. The clouds were soft and beautiful, the sun shone warm on her face. Suddenly the stillness was filled with a deafening roar. Jen spun around and turned to face a wall of water coming towards her. She tried futilely to reverse her momentum. It was too late the wall crashed into her throwing her around in the ice cold water her limbs were going numb and her lungs filled with water as she struggled beneath the waves. Somewhere in the distance she could hear Wes calling her name. She tried to cry out to him but something was controlling her. She couldn't fight the darkness that was overwhelming her she gave up and let the darkness take over. Moments later she found herself standing on a mountain top. The view was breathtaking. She breathed in the cool crisp air. A strange feeling overcame her as if she wasn't alone. She turned in front of her was a woman with auburn hair.  
  
"Hello?" She asked uncertainly.  
  
The woman smiled at her.  
  
"Do I know you?"  
  
The woman nodded.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
A voice filled her head. "36 west 110 north"  
  
"What do you mean?" Jen asked in confusion.  
  
"36 west 110 north."  
  
The air seemed heavier. Jen couldn't breathe. Water filled her lungs once again she coughed violently.  
  
"Jen come on please." She could hear Wes pleading somewhere far away.  
  
Jen's eyes snapped open. Her body convulsed as the water was expelled from her lungs. "That's it Jen." She could hear a woman's voice say as a mask was put over her face. "Breathe in slowly."  
  
Jen looked up and in the bleariness of her sight she saw a dark skinned woman with white hair. The woman looked at Wes and nodded.  
  
"She'll be all right." She heard the woman's voice say.  
  
"Thank you Ororo." She heard the professor say.  
  
She could feel herself being lifted. She looked up to see Wes who looked distraught. She coughed spasmodically again as her lungs emptied the last of the water from them. Wes laid her gently onto the bed. Logan carefully replaced the oxygen mask over her nose and mouth. Jen relaxed into the pillows and let herself fall asleep in Wes' arms. 


	7. X gene 7

Jen awoke from what she had thought was a terrible dream. She reached up to touch her face and pulled away the oxygen mask.  
  
"Hey, you need that." A gruff voice said as a pair of hands replaced the mask over her nose and mouth.  
  
Jen opened her eyes and tried to focus on the person speaking to her. Her vision was hazy and blurred.  
  
"Logan?" She asked her voice muffled by the mask.  
  
"Yeah, I told that boyfriend of yours he'd better take a rest. He's been at your side for the last 3 days. He wouldn't eat or sleep unless we forced him to."  
  
That was Wes. He was wholly devoted to her with his heart, mind, and soul. Jen nodded and closed her eyes again.  
  
"Yeah, you rest now. There's going to be some long days ahead for you." Logan said pulling the blanket up on her.  
  
"36 West, 110 North." She murmured in her sleep.  
  
"What?" Logan said. "What do you mean?"  
  
"They're co-ordinates." Scott said standing in the doorway.  
  
"Where did you go? You were supposed to be watching her." Logan growled at him.  
  
"Jean, she started talking through her. I couldn't stay."  
  
"Jean's dead, you have to accept that." Logan said flatly. "You've been walking around here in a daze for the past year. It's time to move on."  
  
"I'll move on when I'm ready." Scott said flatly spinning around and storming off.  
  
"You do that." Logan mumbled.  
  
Scott pressed the button to the secret elevator that would take him down to the tunnels beneath the school. As the elevator descended he thought about Jean and how they had planned to go to Paris for Christmas. It was there that he planned to propose to her. But now, that future seemed like just a dream.  
  
"I don't believe you're gone Jean. I think you're out there and you're trying to come home to me." He thought walking down the hall that led to the computer room.  
  
As he passed the Cerebro he saw the door was closed. "Someone else hasn't given up on you either Jean." He thought turning to the door to the computer room.  
  
As he sat down at the computer he contemplated the coordinates Jen had whispered. He typed them into the computer.  
  
"36 W 110 N"  
  
A small yellow blip appeared on the screen. It was in the wilderness by where the dam had broken at Alkali Lake."  
  
"I've got it." He said standing. "Jean, I'm coming."  
  
"Not without backup." Logan said standing behind him.  
  
"I am." Eric said walking into the room with Jen.  
  
She looked fully recuperated though she was very pale.  
  
"This isn't a good idea." Scott said shaking his head.  
  
"Without me, you can't find her." Jen said with determination. "I'm the only link you've got."  
  
"All right." Scott said reluctantly. "But, you're going to stay where it's safe when we get there."  
  
"I'll make sure she does." Wes said coming up beside her and taking her hand. "I can't risk losing her."  
  
"All right then, let's move out." Scott said nodding. 


	8. X gene 8

Scott watched from the shadows as the two rangers boarded the X-jet. It brought pain to his heart to see them. Lord how he longed for Jean. Hopefully they would find her there.

Jen settled into the chair. Wes knelt down in front of her.

"You sure you want to do this." He asked with concerned.

"Yes, I've got to do this. If I don't I'll never get her out of my head so we can get on with our lives."

"And I'll be there with you." Wes said kissing her hand.

"We're getting ready to take off. You should get buckled in." Logan said towering above them.

"All right." Wes said taking the seat next to Jen.

"You can't sit there. That's the navigator's seat. I'm sorry Wes, you need to be in the back with the others. Jen's safer up here."

Wes looked confused but took Logan's advice. He took a place next to Eric sighing heavily.

"You trust these people?" Eric asked.

"I don't know anymore." Wes said shaking his head. "This has all been so strange."

"I don't know, being a ranger is a pretty strange way to live." Eric said smiling at him.

Wes snickered.

"I see your point." He agreed.

"Good, the sooner we get this over with and find this Jean Grey, the sooner we can go home."

"Coming up on destination co-ordinates." Scott said into the intercom.

Jen looked out the window at the desolate wildereness beneath them. Suddenly the plane lurched.

"What's happening?" Jen asked Rogue who was navigating.

"I-I don't know but brace yourself it's going to be a bumpy landing." Rogue said nervously as she scanned the computer screen.

The plane lurched and dipped dangerously toward the ground. Scott furiously pulled up on the controls to no avail.

"We're going down!" Scott yelled. "Brace for impact!"

But suddenly the plane began descending slowly. Scott looked down to see Magneto controlling their descent.

Logan also saw it. "Well this is going to be an interesting day." He quipped.

Scott threw him a look. "Not funny."

"Am I laughing?" Logan answered smartly.


	9. X gene 9

Jen stared at the strangely clad man in front of them.

"Who is that?" She whispered to Logan who stood protectively beside the Rangers.

"That's Magneto, hate him he's scum."

Jen looked at Logan in surprise. "He just saved our lives?"

"Yeah, but he wants somethin' and you can bet it ain't gonna be good." Logan growled.

"Magneto, what are you doing out here?" Scott asked him suspiciously.

"Same thing you are, looking for Dr. Grey."

"What do you want with her and how do you know that's what we're doing here?"

"A little bird told me." Magneto answered as a bird lit upon his shoulder and then formed into Mystique.

"Why, you..." Logan growled taking a step toward Magneto.

Scott put his arm up stopping Logan. "Don't give him the pleasure of your pain."

He turned to Magneto. "What do you want with Jean?" He asked a little more forcefully.

"Her safe return."

"I don't believe you." Scott said coldly.

"Believe what you will but we are wasting precious daylight. Are we going to search for the good Doctor or not?" Magneto said angrily.

"All right." Scott agreed "But if you so much as try to harm anyone here."

"You'll regret it." Logan finished for him flashing an Adamantium claw.

"Jen!" Wes cried as she collapsed in his arms.

The others turned, their differences set aside for the moment.

"Wes what is it?" Scott asked hurrying to Jen's side.

"I-I don't know...she just" he said frightened.

Jen's eyes opened she didn't look at Wes. "Scott?" Jean's voice emanated from Jen's lips.

"Jean, I'm here. Where are you?"

"There's a longhouse not far from here. Please hurry Scott!"

Jen's eyes closed again. She awakened a few minutes later.

"Jen?"

"Wes? What happened? Where are we?" Jen asked.

"Alkali Lake, you don't remember?"

"No." Jen said weakly.

"Come on we have to go. You three stay here it isn't safe."

"NO!" Jen said forcing herself to stand. "I have to do this."

She took a few steps forward and stumbled. Wes caught her.

"Jen, maybe you shouldn't be doing this."

"Wes." Jen said sternly.

"There's no changing her mind." Wes said simply.

"Then let's get a move on." Logan said anxiously. "I don't like the smell of this place."

They found the longhouse in a clearing and went inside. A strange scent was in the air. Wes frowned in disgust.

"Can't take it can ya?" Logan chuckled.

"I'm fine!" Wes said stubbornly even though the stench made him ill.

There was a fire in the farthest part of the longhouse. As Scott approached it he couldn't believe what he saw. It was Jean! She was covered in a thick blanket of pelts and being tended to by a shaman.

"Jean!" Scott cried rushing to her side.

Just as he reached her side Pyro appeared from nowhere attacking Bobby and Rogue.

"What are you doing?" Bobby cried in dismay.

"What I should have done a long time ago." Pyro leered. "Destroy the X-men."

He threw a punch at Bobby who quickly dodged it only to be caught from behind by Toad. Bobby was slammed to the ground and fell unconscious.

"Bobby!" Rogue screamed throwing herself at Pyro who spun around with a wheel kick and threw her against the wall.

Sabretooth broke through the wall Logan caught his scent and slammed into him stopping him from hitting Cyclops.

Scott wheeled around aiming his visor carefully at the fighting duo. Suddenly he was thrown forward and his blast broke through the roof.

"Time for Timeforce!" Jen and Wes cried morphing into their Ranger forms.

"Quantum Power!" Eric yelled morphing.

They attacked Mystique who had grabbed Cyclops from behind. She spun around and easily deflected their attack but let go of Cyclops in the process.

A ball of fire burst from the fire beside Jean's unconscious body. Jen dodged the fireball that seemed aimed at her.

She felt a needle slide into her back and then collapsed into blackness.

There was a bright flash of light and Magneto, Pyro, Sabretooth, and Mystique vanished.

"What just happened here?" Eric asked.

"I-I don't know?" Scott answered coughing. "But we need to get out of here fast. They'll be back."

"Jen?" Wes cried spinning around "Jen?"

Eric turned. Everyone was accounted for except Jen.

"It was Magneto he grabbed her just before the flash." Rogue said anxiously from Bobby's side.

"I'll kill him!" Wes cried angrily.

"We need to get back to the school. We have a better chance of finding her from there." Scott said pulling Jean from the pile of blankets. He looked for the shaman but he was nowhere to be seen.

"I can't leave her behind!" Wes cried falling to his knees.

"Wes Jen isn't here. She's someplace else. Scott is right we have to ask the professor for help."

A gasp from Rogue brought attention to the fallen Bobby.

"What is it Rogue?" Cyclops asked.

"It's blood," Rogue stammered.

Logan lifted Bobby's body from the floor. "We need to get out of here now!" He ordered.


	10. X gene 10

A few hours later they were all back at the institute. Wes had stormed off to the garden hating all mutants and everyone that was even remotely connected to them. Eric shared the sentiment but in the interest of finding Jen he kept his sentiments to himself. He knew he had to be strong for both him and Wes, knowing Wes' temper anything could happen.

Cyclops sat beside Jean's bed, she had collapsed just as they reached the institute and the professor had said it was just exhaustion taking over. But, he wasn't so sure about it. He was afraid something had been done to her. It was apparent that Magneto wanted Jen, but for what? The prospect of Jen's mental abilities and her ranger powers under Magneto's control was something that worried him. He knew she was strong, but what he wasn't sure of was if she was strong enough to match wills with Magneto. He could be well….persuasive giving it a human term there were other things it could be described as and none of them were good.

"Scott." Jean said weakly waking him from his reverie.

"I'm right here." He said taking her hand. "How are you feeling?"

"Like a bomb went off in my head." She answered. "What happened?"

"You don't remember?"

"No."

"You were captured by Magneto after you, well…died at Alkalai Lake. You saved us all."

"Died?" Jean said confused. "What do you mean?"

"You helped the X-jet escape a tidal wave when the dam burst, but you gave up your life in the process."

Jean looked distraught. "How long was I gone?"

"It was almost a year." He answered sadly. But then brightened. "I'm just so glad to have you back." He whispered pulling her into his arms.

She pulled away after a long embrace. "But, how did I get back here."

"A strong willed woman named Jen." Eric replied from the door. "She had growing psychic powers. You tapped into them and used them to help your friends find you."

"Where is she?" Jean asked. "I'd like to meet her."

"You can't" Eric responded bitterly. "Magneto has her. He used you to trap her."

Jean bowed her head. "I'm so sorry for the loss of your friend."

"You make it sound like she's dead." Eric said quickly.

"No, no she isn't I can still feel her." Jean countered.

"Well then you're going to be the ones to help us find her." Wes said darkly coming into the room.

"Jean, this is Wes." Scott said. "He's Jen's fiancée."

Jean put a hand to her lips. "I-I don't know what to say."

"You couldn't say anything that will make what happened any better or change my mind about mutants."

Scott began to retort, Wes cut him off.

"I know you're my only hope of finding her so I'm putting my feelings aside until then. But after that all bets are off." Wes turned and stalked out of the room.

"Wes." Jean called after him.

"I wouldn't, he's a very stubborn man." Eric warned. "You're not going to easily change his mind. He relies mostly on people's actions to help him make up his mind. So far, he's been deceived, scared, and has had the woman he loves more than life itself stolen from him all by mutants. It doesn't paint a very good picture."

Cyclops shook his head and looked at Jean who was staring out the doorway.


	11. X gene 11

Wes stared out at the breathtaking sunset. He thought how much Jen enjoyed these. In the year 3000 there weren't sunrises and sunsets the sky was a rainbow color all of the time from the pollution that had been accumulating for 2000 years.

"Two thousand years and they still can't get rid of the pollution, even with all of that technology." Wes laughed to himself but then thought bitterly "I could use some of that technology now to find Jen."

"You sure know how to make friends." Logan said approaching Wes as he stood in the garden.

"What do you want Logan?" Wes asked flatly.

"To talk to you."

"Did the professor put you up to this?"

"No, Jean's really upset about what happened between you two."

Wes didn't answer.

"We didn't see this coming, not by a longshot. We didn't even know Magneto was alive until the moment he took Jen." Logan continued. "It's not anyone's fault."

"We trusted you!" Wes said. "You promised me nothing would happen to Jen."

"We all feel for you Wes but you're not the only one who lost someone on this mission." Logan answered gruffly indicating Rogue standing alone in the doorway.

"Bobby?" Wes gasped.

"He's in a coma."

Wes shook his head and walked away.

"Wes." Logan called after him.

Wes turned around.

"Don't go off doing something you're gonna regret. If there's anyone who can get her back, the professor can."

"Yeah, right." Wes answered flatly.

"Wes." Eric said rushing up to him. "We need to talk."

Eric looked up and saw Logan and added "In private."


	12. X gene 12

"Eric, what's going on." Wes asked when they were sure that they were far away enough from Logan that he wouldn't be able to hear them.

"Look, Wes. I can have a team of Silver guardians here by morning and we can use all your father's resources to find Jen."

"I don't know if that will do us any good." Wes said putting a hand up. "We don't have any better technology than this institute does. We're at a disadvantage."

"How are we at a disadvantage?" Eric exclaimed shocked at what Wes had just said. "We've been fighting mutants for years."

"Mutants that Time Force had on file. We knew what they were capable of. This is completely out of our ballpark."

"Why don't we send a message to the future then? We've done it before." Eric suggested.

"No we can't, at least not yet." Wes answered. "I don't want to risk the security of Timeforce. For all we know these mutants are the predecessors of the ones in the future. We could destroy Timeforce before it ever gets off the ground."

"You're right." Eric agreed. "But we have to do something."

"We will, when the time is right we will. But, right now we have to play along with them. Work this from the inside."

Eric stared at him amazed. Wes noticed.

"What?"

"Nothing." Eric answered stifling a laugh.

"What's so funny this is serious." Wes answered indignantly. "Give me an answer that's an order."

Eric burst out laughing. Wes looked at him angrily.

"What the hell is so funny!" He yelled.

"Well..its…just…that." Eric choked out between breaths.

"Out with it what!!!" Wes ordered.

"Well, you're really beginning to sound a lot like me."

Wes looked shocked for a moment. Then broke into a smile.

"God help us all." He said laughing.


	13. X gene 13

Jen awoke in darkness. She tried to move but she couldn't. As her eyes grew accustomed to the darkness she saw a figure looming above her.

"Wh-where am I?" She asked.

In response a voice boomed into her head. "In my lair Jennifer Scotts of the year 3000."

Jen's body tensed. There were very few people that knew who she really was.

"Because I too am from the year 3000."

"Who are you?" Jen yelled into the darkness. The voice sounded oddly familiar to her.

"All will be revealed in time." The voice crooned. "For now sleep my darling, we will use you soon enough."

"My darling?" Jen thought. "No! It can't be." Jen closed her eyes and concentrated.

The dark figure paused. "No, I will not allow that."

It moved to the side of the bed and Jen felt a sharp sting in her arm. The room began to spin.

"Wes." She whispered. "Help me."

A few moments earlier……

Wes was standing in front of the window to the room where Bobby lay.

"Kid, you've got a woman that loves you more than anything in the world. You gotta hang in there." He whispered.

"A nice sentiment. I hope he listens to you." Scott said sidling up to him.

"How is Jean?"

"She'll be all right the professor says."

Before Scott could finish his statement. Wes collapsed to the floor.

"WES!" Scott cried. Catching him midfall. "Wes, what's wrong."

Wes was very pale, his eyes were rolled back in his head and he looked confused. "Wes, what is it?"

"Jen," Wes whispered.

"WES!!!" Eric cried running up to them. "What did you do to him?"

"Nothing, he was just standing here." Scott began. "And then he collapsed."

"After you did some kind of Vulcan mind meld on him or something." Eric said angrily. "I should"

Eric looked down and Wes had grabbed his arm. "No Eric." He whispered.

"Wes, what is it?" Eric asked worriedly looking at his friend. He had never seen Wes this way. Even during the final battles with the mutants.

"Jen," Wes gasped. "We have to find her."

"I know we're going to." Eric reassured him.

A look of realization passed over Scott's face.

"He's going to be all right." Scott said. "He's been contacted by Jen."

"How do you know that?"

"Because Jean has done it to me before." Scott explained. "Lets get him up and back to your room. Things like this can be very taxing."

"No." Wes said his voice a little stronger. "I want to see the professor…..now."


	14. X gene 14

"You have similar genes to those I have seen in mutants." The professor said after carefully examining the scans from Wes.

"Could it have something to do with our ability to morph." Eric asked.

"It could, the morphers do change your bio readings." The professor answered thoughtfully.

"Then that's why Jen can contact me mentally?" Wes asked sitting forward in the chair.

"It very well could be." The professor answered. "But you could also be a mutant."

"Whatever it is, can it help us find Jen?" Wes asked a sense of urgency in his voice.

"Maybe," The professor began. "But we've never been able to track down a mutant this way before."

"What about this cerebro thing that I've heard mentioned?" Eric asked. "Couldn't we just hook Wes up to it and see what he's seeing?"

The professor sighed heavily. "If only it were that easy. Cerebro is meant to be used by trained mutants. So far I have had the only success with it. Even the incomparable Jean Grey cannot use it and I consider her my equal."

"I'm very strong willed. I can do this." Wes insisted stubbornly.

"I cannot risk it. It could mean death for you or even a life in a vegetative state." The professor answered shaking his head.

"I would die for her." Wes pleaded bitterly.

"A noble thought indeed but we need you to find her. I may be able to read your thoughts if she connects with you again. We need to be patient and continue our search in the meantime."

Scott came forward and put his hand on Wes' shoulder. "We'll find her Wes."

"She could be dead by then." Wes answered hopelessly shrugging off Scott's hand and skulking out of the room.

Scott made a move to follow him but the professor stopped him. "Let him go."

The Professor looked at Eric. "I need you to stay with Wes Eric. If Jen contacts him telepathically I need to know immediately so that maybe I can connect to her through his mind."

"You can do that?" Eric asked amazed.

"Yes, the powers of the mind are extraordinary. There are many hidden gifts that people don't know about. There is a whole world left to uncover, one that we are just scratching the surface of." The professor said backing his chair away from the desk. "The mind is an incredible thing." he added.

"You say that like you're an expert on the subject." Eric said cynically.

The Professor smiled at him and patted him on the shoulder then without saying a word left the room.


End file.
